UThunter

ALright, i've been talking about getting a new gun for coyotes and other small game, but it's finally time to pick one out. I prefer it chambered in .223 but I am thinking about a .243 also. I want a good value gun, that is a good gun for the money. What gun and scope combo should i look at?

trailer

What kind of price range are you looking at? This would give a better idea on what someone might suggest.

Gundigest

They are both good calibers however the .223 is better suited for varmint than the .243. It has cheaper ammo and less recoil. I would go with the .223 for varmints. You can get Hornady factory .223 ammo that is about 3800 fps with a 40gr Vmax. As far as a good lower priced gun I would say go with a Ruger M77 MK II. I have 3 one is a stainless 22LR, one is a stainless 300 WSM, and the last one is a blued .223. The .223 and 300 WSM will shoot 1/2" groups at 100 yards. The only work done to them is the trigger. I put a Timney trigger on the .223 and I did a trigger job to the factory trigger on the 300. Ruger also includes scope rings and it has intrical bases that can't come loose. You can get one for between $460 and $530. They are great guns for the money.

A good cheap scope is the Bushnell Elite 3200. They are about $200 and they have the multi coatings and rain guard which let you fog them up and still see to shoot.

Here is a picture of some of my groups, the top right I shot with my .223 it is a 3 shot group at 100 yards. The third shot is through the second shot hole on the bottom. My brother shot the group under it with the same rifle. His 77 .223 will also shoot 1/2" groups at 100 yards.

texhookem

If theres no deer in the equation and the gun is only for varmints id go with a 223. You can probably find a used remington VS for less than 600 bucks. You can maybe also find a remington VLS for around 500 bucks. Both aregood guns.

UThunter

Yah i'd definately like to get the gun for under 500 bucks, and with a scope under 650 max. i know that doesn't leave me too many options, but i'm also thinking about going used if needs be.

North Texan

For varmints, get a .223 and have a blast! But you need a good scope. In reality, most rifles from well-known manufacturers are pretty much created equal. They each have their +'s and -'s, but most are limited only by the shooter's ability.

For a gun, here are some options:

Weatherby for $399
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2685717

Savage for $411
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2684991

Ruger for $477
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2685630

CZ for $460
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3869124

I prefer Brownings, others say Remington, but you will have to shell out a little more cash to get one. Go around and feel the guns for yourself and find what fits you well.

For a quality scope, you will have to shell out probably $200. My suggestion is a 3-9x40 Nikon Buckmaster. That is whay I have on my Browning .223. Leupold's are good also, but tend to cost a little more $$$ for about the same thing.

JeffS

If you want a good cheap gun you can get a New England Firearms rifle. We have one in .223 we bought for the kids and we use it more than they do. We've shot crows with it out to 200 yards with no problems. THough any of the guns listed above would be a good choice as well. It all depends on how much you want to spend. The NEF is cheap enough you can throw in a truck or on the back of a 4 wheeler you don't really worry about it. The Encore would be another good choice. You could just buy extra barrels later if you want another caliber.

Scott Gags

I hunt ground hogs with a buddy that has a Savage with the Accutrigger. This gun is so accurate it is rediculous for an out of the box rifle. I am not going to mention the groups as I will called a liar by everone reading this post, but I will say give the savage a try and you will probably be pleasantly surprised.

Doe Dumper

For varmints only that 112 savage .223 would be tough to beat. Still leave ya with enough to get a quality scope.

redsox3624

Did you look into getting a 22-250. I've heard really good things about them. If you want to get a .223 and don't want to spend much i would look into NEF.